


The Orion

by TheSilentBull



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-20 12:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3651057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSilentBull/pseuds/TheSilentBull
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dax and Kira are trapped on a prison planet and forced to get closer in order to survive. Dax wants to explore it further. Kira isn’t so sure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pheromones

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever story for any Star Trek fandom. Hopefully, I didn't mess up any of the details, too, badly. Enjoy!

Major Kira Nerys was startled awake by the sound of someone coughing. She moved to sit up straighter against the rough cave wall she was leaning against and her breath caught at the pain that shot through her knee. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting against it, and after a few moments, she released a slow breath.

“Hey, hey…take it easy,” Kira heard softly beside her. She looked over to see Lieutenant Jadzia Dax kneeling down next to her with a dinged up metal cup and what looked like a stale hunk of bread. “Did you manage to get any rest while I was gone?” the Trill asked.

“A little,” Kira whispered as her eyes fell shut once more. She licked her lips and swallowed at the dryness of her throat.

“Well, it took a little haggling and it cost me the last of the Klingon candies I had left, but I managed to get us a few extra rations from one of the other prisoners,” Dax said. “Here drink some of this.” She scooted closer to the Major and held the cup up to her lips. “We’ll need to keep your strength up if we ever plan on escaping from here.”

They had been on the prison planet for two days now. After taking a runabout to explore a distress signal, they were fired upon by the planets defense systems before crashing to the surface.

Kira watched as Dax moved to sit opposite her in the small alcove they had found that provided a tiny bit of privacy from the other prisoners. “Dax, if you get the opportunity to get out of this place then I want you to take it whether I’m with you or not.”

“Kira…”

“No, I mean it. That’s an order. There’s no sense in both of us getting stuck here. If you can get away and come back with reinforcements then we’ll have a better chance. I’ll only slow us down with this knee,” she said, running a frustrated hand through her short hair.

Dax glanced around to make sure no one was listening to them before speaking again. “I was talking to some of the others,” she began softly. “Apparently, the guards change shift every ten hours and there’s a ten minute period where the prisoners are left unattended. The force field is still in place to keep anyone from escaping, but if we can find a way to deactivate it, it may just give us a chance.”

“A chance for what?” Kira asked. “Even if we make it out of here, we have no idea what kind of shape the runabout is in.” 

Dax ignored her friend’s pessimism. “But we can at least send out a beacon. There’s also a cargo ship that comes to the planet twice a month and for a short time part of the defense system is down. If we can time it just right, we can either fly right out of here or I can at least send out the beacon then,” Jadzia said. “And if the runabout is in no condition to fly…maybe we can steal the cargo ship.”

The Major looked at her is if she had lost her mind. “Just how long was I asleep?” she asked, wondering when the Lieutenant had time to learn all of this.

Dax smirked. “Some of these prisoners are very chatty. I barely said three words before they were spilling their guts,” she shrugged. “The pocket full of Klingon candies helped, too. It’s amazing how something as simple as a piece of candy can brighten someone’s day.”

Kira returned the smirk. She should have known better than to underestimate Dax’s persuasive abilities. She lost count of how many times she had been talked into going to the holosuites with her friend.

“Besides,” the Trill continued, “Have you noticed that we’re the only two females here? That one keeps staring at you.”

Kira followed Dax’s line of sight to a large Orion male. He was bald with pale green skin and bulging muscles on every part of his body. Her brow furrowed when he continued to leer at her.

“These males probably haven’t seen a woman in years. Although, I’m pretty sure that Bzzit Khaht over there has the ability to change to a female.” Kira’s eyes widened slightly. “Still, there’s no way I’m leaving you here alone, Major,” Dax said unapologetically.

Kira was secretly relieved. She wasn’t sure how well she could protect herself with her knee so badly damaged. If their places were reversed, she wouldn’t leave Dax either. She valued her friendship with the Trill much more than any sort of duty.

Dax moved so that she was sitting much closer to Kira and leaned across her lap, her hand resting in the dirt beside the Major’s hip. They were face to face, but Dax’s eyes were on the Orion who had slowly been moving closer.

“Dax, what…”

“Shhh…” Kira’s question was cut off by Dax’s hand coming to rest gently against her face. It was cool to the touch. “Looks like the Orion is going to try to make a move on you,” she said softly, eyes now looking into the Major’s.

Kira was at a loss for words as Jadzia moved in closer, brushing their noses together affectionately. She wondered if Jadzia knew just how sensitive a Bajoran’s nose really was. “What are you doing?’ she finally managed.

“Curzon once encountered an Orion male. They’re very cunning creatures and they emit pheromones that are incredibly hard to resist. He’s obviously taken an interest in you, but if he thinks you’re taken, maybe he’ll back down,” she explained, remembering how Curzon had stood up to the male. Her eyes flickered to the Orion to see that he was getting closer. She closed any remaining distance between them and kissed the Major possessively.

Kira’s heart pounded as she felt Jadzia’s lips against her own. “Kiss me back or he’s going to think he can challenge me for you,” Dax whispered as she placed a kiss on Kira’s chin before moving back to her mouth.

The Major shook off her surprise and returned the kiss. She felt Jadzia’s tongue push past her lips and a soft moan escaped her.

They continued that way for a few moments longer before Jadzia slowly broke away. She stared into the Major’s dark brown eyes for a moment before glancing away at the Orion. The leer on his face had intensified, but he stopped his approach several yards away from them.

“Is he still watching us?” Kira said softly as she caught her breath.

“Yes, but it looks like he’s keeping his distance,” Dax answered as she continued to place soft kisses against Kira’s face. “Either he’s taken the hint or we’ve turned him on enough that he doesn’t need you to do it for him anymore,” she said, smiling as the Major’s eyes widened.

Kira chanced her own look at the Orion to see that he had begun taking a few steps closer, but before she could pull Dax back into another embrace, a prison guard’s voice rang out.

“On your feet! Get back to work!”

The two women watched for a moment as the force field was lowered and everyone began filing out past the guards. Dax stood first and then reached down to help Kira stand. “Are you going to be able to make it?” she asked.

“I’ll be okay,” the Major said although her knee was throbbing. She forced the pain from her mind, not wanting any of the others to know just how badly she had been injured. It was a prison planet after all and she didn’t want to give them any leverage over her.

It did appear as if the guards were abusing their power though. No matter how many times she and Dax explained their predicament, the guards would do nothing to confirm their story. There was definitely something strange going on.

“Keep an ear out for anything that might be useful to us,” Dax whispered before moving along.

Kira watched her go and tried her hardest not to limp too noticeably in the other direction.

\---

After being forced to work for ten hours, a new set of prisoners were ushered further into the caves for mining. Returning to the holding area, Kira immediately headed for the alcove and lowered herself to the ground. She watched as the other prisoners stood in line for the meager rations, but she didn’t much feel like eating. Dax approached with more bread and water and sat down closely next to her.

“How are you feeling?” she asked as she inspected the Major’s knee.

“I’ve been better,” Kira said. “But I’ll live.”

Dax handed her the cup of water. “Has anyone bothered you?”

“No,” Kira said as she closed her eyes. “Luckily, our Orion friend has kept his distance.”

“Good. There was an accident in my part of the cave today. Some rubble came loose and crushed one of the guards,” Dax said.

“Is he dead?” Kira asked.

“No, but he was hurt pretty badly.”

Kira watched as the Lieutenant slowly pulled something from her pocket, eyes glancing around to make sure no one was paying them any attention.

“It’s some sort of scanner I’ve noticed them using. Maybe I can reconfigure it to disrupt the force fields.”

The Major kept an eye out while Dax continued to tinker with the device. She caught a flash of green and sighed as the Orion looked their way. “Dax, you might want to put that away for now,” she warned.

Dax shoved the device further into the alcove away from prying eyes and turned to see the Orion watching them. “They never give up,” she said before moving closer to the Major.

Kira tried to prepare herself this time as Jadzia began kissing her softly, but the sensual contact was too much for her body to ignore and she returned the kisses.

“I’m sorry, Nerys,” Dax whispered against her lips after a few moments, their foreheads pressed together. “I know this must be uncomfortable.”

The Major’s eyes fell shut as Jadzia’s lips brushed across her neck. “It’s alright,” she said just as softly. “Believe me, compared to some of the things I’ve done to survive in my life, kissing you isn’t so bad,” she said as her eyes met Jadzia once again. They stared at each other for a moment before Dax leaned in again, kissing her deeply. Kira returned the kiss fully, her lips parting beneath Dax’s.

After a few more minutes the Lieutenant pulled away slowly and stared at her friend. “Um...we’ve probably given the entire cell something to dream about tonight,” she joked a little nervously. “Maybe we should try and get some rest,” she suggested.

Kira nodded her agreement and moved until she was resting on the ground, her head lying on her arm. Dax spooned in close behind her and put an arm around her waist to pull her closer. Kira relaxed into her warmth and fell asleep.

\---

They continued on in that fashion for a few more days. Kissing and touching to keep the Orion at bay. Dax felt herself getting carried away at times, but if Kira noticed, she didn’t say anything. She knew they couldn’t keep it up for much longer. Their displays were keeping the Orion away for the time being, but it was also bringing a lot of unwanted attention from some of the other prisoners. It was time to focus on getting out of there.

After another several hours of working, Dax made her way back to the alcove and found that the Major hadn’t returned yet. She made sure no one was looking and pulled out the device she had stolen from a few days before, grateful that no one had missed it yet. There appeared to be maps and locations of the other prison colonies on the planet. That information would come in very handy once they escaped. The last thing they needed was to escape one prison only to end up in another.

“Careful with that thing or somebody’s going to see you.”

Dax was startled and quickly looked up to see Kira standing above her. She let out a relieved breath and watched as the Major sat down next to her. “Find anything useful?” she asked.

“Only a roadmap out of this place,” Dax said, huddling close and sharing what she’d found with the Major.

“I’ve been thinking,” Kira began. “Maybe we should consider other options just in case something goes wrong. These prisoners probably aren’t the only ones who haven’t seen a woman in a while.” She looked around as some of the other prisoners shuffled in. “If we could somehow seduce the guards, maybe we could overpower them and break free.”

Dax’s first thought was that she didn’t want any of the guards touching her friend or herself for that matter. Kira injured and up against an armed guard with no backup…she didn’t like it. But then she realized that she was very much underestimating the Major and her abilities. This amazing woman who had joined the Bajoran resistance as barely more than a child and had survived much worse than the situation they were in now. A woman she was proud to call her friend.

Kira looked up to find Dax watching her with a strange look in her eye. “What?” she asked, becoming a little shy under the Trill’s gaze.

“Have I ever told you just how remarkable I think you are?” Dax said softly.

Kira smiled, but before she could respond, a shadow loomed over them.

“Ladies.”

Both women looked up to see the Orion male standing before them with a predatory look in his eyes. Dax moved herself in front of Kira protectively, a hard look on her face, ready to challenge the man if need be. The device sat on the ground between them, hidden from the Orion’s sight.

He smiled faintly before kneeling down in front of them. “I mean you no harm,” he began. “I only thought we could get to know one another…more intimately,” he said as his eyes bore into Kira’s.

Dax looked between the two for a moment, noticing that Kira had yet to look away from him. “She’s not interested,” she said forcefully.

His gaze shifted to Dax and Kira blinked heavily as if she had been in a trance. “Perhaps the three of us can become more acquainted then,” he suggested.

Dax made sure not to hold his gaze too long. “Like I said, not interested,” she repeated harshly, praying the man wouldn’t challenge her. Much to her surprise, he rose to his feet and offered a slight bow before moving away from them. She looked over to see Kira’s eyes trailing after him.

“What the hell was that?” Kira asked as she tried to get her bearings. She felt lightheaded and what she could only describe as…aroused.

Dax found herself in a similar state. “It’s the pheromones,” she reminded. “Whatever you do, make sure not to make eye contact with him for too long. It only makes the sensation stronger.”

No one else bothered them, but they could feel the stares, which forced Dax to put the device away. She had lost her concentration anyway. She and Kira kept up appearances, snuggling closely and sharing long, deep kisses. Kira was surprised at how easy it was to give herself over to the pleasure of it all, but she supposed it must have been the pheromones. She lay on her back on the ground with Dax partially on top of her. The Trill’s hand roamed across her thigh and continued upward toward her breast, massaging the soft flesh through her uniform. Kira pulled away suddenly, realizing that the situation was getting out of control.

“I think we can probably stop now,” she said although her body didn’t want to. She was Dax’s commanding officer for Prophet’s sake. She needed to keep her wits about her if they were going to get out of this.

Dax closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. “I’m so sorry. It’s the pheromones,” she explained. “It’s like he drugged us.”

“I know,” Kira said softly, running a hand down the Trill’s back, wanting Dax to know that she wasn’t blaming her. “Let’s just sleep. We’ll need to be alert if we want to make it out of here.”

Dax agreed, but it was a long time before she finally found sleep and judging by the way the Major tossed and turned she knew she wasn’t the only one.

\---

Kira lay awake that night thinking about how they were going to escape. Dull lighting coming from beyond the force field shined across Dax’s sleeping face and she could see her spots very clearly. In all the time she had known Jadzia, she never really asked her about the spots. Did they ever change depending on her mood or whether she was sick? She suddenly wondered a lot of things about the Trill.

After a few more moments, the Major heard some of the other prisoners begin to stir. She placed her arm around Dax and quietly called her name.

“Kira…what is it?” Dax said, slightly disoriented.

“We need to make our move today,” she whispered. “My knee isn’t going to get any better any time soon. We’ll just have to take our chances.”

Dax nodded, determined. “It shouldn’t take me much longer to reprogram the scanner.”

“Do what you can, but there may be a chance that we won’t even need it,” Kira said. Dax listened carefully as she explained.

\---

Kira looked around as she continued loading rocks into one of the large metal carts. The two guards strolled about chatting and laughing, barely even paying attention to the prisoners. Looking to her left, she saw the Orion watching her closely, but she ignored him.

She loaded yet another rock into the cart before taking a deep breath. She unzipped the tunic of her uniform to a tantalizing level and slowly made her way over to one of the large buckets filled with water located near where the guards were standing.

She took her time, taking a long slow drink, hoping to catch the eye of one of the guards, but they were too busy chatting. Her frustration was mounting quickly as she tried to think of how to get their attention when it suddenly occurred to her that she needed to channel her inner Intendant. She scooped more of the water with her hands and dabbed it across the exposed skin of her chest and neck. She let out a moan for good measure and it wasn’t long before the guards were staring directly at her. 

“Well, what do we have here?” One of the men said slowly as he watched her.

Kira knew she had them by the wanton look in their eyes and she hoped she wasn’t getting herself into more than she could handle. She continued massaging the water into her skin as she moved closer to them.

“Listen boys, it’s obvious there hasn’t been a woman around here in quite some time,” she began. “I’m sure I can be much more useful to you than this.” She gestured loosely to the men still working behind her.

The guard smiled at his friend before shouldering his weapon. “And just what did you have in mind?” he asked, his eyes trailing down her body.

Kira smiled wickedly and ran a finger down the side of his face.

\---

A few moments later, the Major was following the men outside to the mouth of the caves. The sun was shining brightly and she was forced to shield her eyes, sensitive from being in the dark for so long. There was a forest in the distance, but they had at least a hundred meters to run before they could reach any sort of cover. There was a small building a few yards away and what she assumed were the guard’s quarters.

So busy looking around to see if she could find an escape route, she was caught off guard when one of the men grabbed her roughly and began running his hands across her body. She was immediately repulsed, having put up with such behavior for so long from the Cardassians during the occupation. She wanted nothing more than to make him pay for touching her, but she needed to stick to the plan.

Kira looked to her right to see the other man sitting his gun down, his hands going to the fastener of his pants. She quickly looked back to the man groping her and pushed him away slightly. “You know what would make this even better?” she smiled.

\---

Dax followed obediently as the guard led her through the caves, hands clasped behind her back partially out of habit and partially to keep the scanner she had stolen concealed in her waistband. They hadn’t been able to figure out what race the guards were. If it wasn’t for the sharp points at the crown of their heads, she would have guessed human.

Once they reached the opening, she stood by while the guard looked around. They both heard low laughter a short distance away and the guard gestured for Dax to continue forward.

As they rounded a rock structure, she saw Kira straddling the guards lap. His hands were low on her hips and Dax’s eyes hardened, knowing how Kira must have felt letting him touch her that way. The Major turned around just then and caught her eye and Dax quickly schooled her features into something more alluring. She turned to face the guard who had escorted her and saw that he had placed his weapon a few feet away up against a boulder. She smiled at him and he began unbuttoning his trousers. One more glance back at Kira and Dax quickly made her move.

Using standard Starfleet tactics, she clasped her hands together and swung at the man’s face, knocking him off balance. She quickly kneed him in the stomach and as she moved to bring her fists down on the back of his neck, she was surprised when he countered and punched her in the stomach.

Kira quickly made work of the man beneath her, knocking him unconscious with a rock she had been eyeing the entire time.

“Kira!”

The Major quickly ran to help Dax who had fallen to her knees. She slammed her fists into the remaining guard’s back, but it wasn’t enough to stop him. He kicked out hard, making contact with her already injured knee and she yelled in pain as she fell to the ground.

Dax held her stomach and watched helplessly as the guard hurried to his weapon.

“You’ll both die for this!” he yelled.

Dax looked at Kira. She could hear the weapon charging and steeled herself for the blow that was sure to follow.

But it never came.

Kira’s eyes widened as she watched the Orion male come out of nowhere and charge the guard, tackling him to the ground. The weapon misfired and with a few well-placed punches, the guard was unconscious.

Dax hurried over to Kira and tried to help her stand.

“I don’t think I can,” the Major said as she fell back to the ground frustrated.

“We can’t stay here out in the open like this. The other guards will know something is wrong eventually,” Dax said, looking around for anything that would be useful to them.

“I can help you,” came the deep voice of the Orion as he approached them.

Kira and Dax exchanged a look. “I guess we don’t have much choice,” the Major said regretfully.

The Orion bowed his head slightly and moved to easily lift Kira in his arms. Dax quickly grabbed one of the weapons and the trio was on their way.

\---

They had been on the move for nearly four hours. The forest was dense and as night fell, everything was starting to look the same. Dax looked at the device in her hand and tried to determine which way they needed to go to get to the runabout.

Kira was in agony as she reluctantly held on to the man carrying her. Her knee was useless and she was slowing them down. “Lieutenant, I think we need to rest for a minute,” she said.

Dax nodded and looked around for a suitable spot. The Orion followed silently and gently helped Kira to sit on a fallen tree trunk. “We need to make sure they aren’t following us,” the Lieutenant said.

“I will go,” the Orion said before moving away from them silently.

“I don’t trust him,” Kira said softly.

“Neither do I,” Dax said as she knelt beside the Major. “Have you been feeling…” She trailed off and raised an eyebrow.

“No, which tells us that he has the ability to control it,” Kira said, referring to the Orion’s pheromones.

“What are we going to do about him? He is still a prisoner, after all. We don’t even know why he’s here,” Dax said, voicing her concern.

“I’m not sure. For now, we still need him. Just make sure to keep that weapon away from him,” Kira instructed.

“And if he tries to use the pheromones to distract us?”

Kira swore Jadzia was smirking, but it was too dark to know for sure. “Then I guess we’ll just have to try and control ourselves.”

Both women became alert when they heard a slight rustling and Jadzia quickly aimed the weapon in the direction of the noise.

“It is only me,” came the deep voice.

“Is there anyone following us?” Kira asked. The Orion shook his head no.

“It’s strange,” Jadzia began. “You’d think they would have sounded an alarm or something by now.”

“Let’s just be glad that they didn’t,” Kira said. “I think we should keep going. The quicker we can get to the runabout, the quicker we can work on getting off of this forsaken planet.”

\---

By the time they arrived at the site of the runabout, Kira thought she might pass out from the pain in her knee. After making sure there were no surprises waiting for them, they quickly entered the ship and locked themselves in. The air inside was humid and stale.

Kira was glad to be away from the Orion and quickly began pushing buttons at the helm, giving a silent thank you to the Prophets when the ship came to life.

“How long until we can leave?”

Dax looked at the device and pushed a few buttons. “The cargo ship won’t arrive for another hour,” she sighed. “We’ll have to take our chances and wait here until then.”

“If they’re following us, this’ll be the first place they check. Is there anywhere else we can go to put some more distance between us?” Kira asked as she tried to focus on the controls in front of her.

Dax watched the Major for a moment. She had broken out into a sweat and she seemed to have trouble concentrating. She needed a hypo spray, but there was no time. She glanced at the Orion who had been quiet the whole time before checking the maps on the device. “We can go about two-hundred fifty kilometers east and it should give us a little more seclusion. Any further than that and it’ll take us too long to reach the point where the defense system is down.”

“Let’s do it,” Kira said.

Neither woman noticed as the Orion looked around the ship carefully.

“There’s nothing else we can do for the time being,” Dax said once they were safely relocated.

“See if you can find a med kit,” Kira said through gritted teeth.

Dax hurried to the back of the runabout. There was some debris from the initial crash and a small, but heavy metal beam was blocking the doorway to the room where the med kit was located. She could see it on the floor close to the doorway, but she couldn’t reach it with the weapon on her back. With a quick glance at the Orion, she sat the weapon close by and reached through the debris.

The Orion moved quickly and grabbed the weapon before Dax even had a chance to react.

Kira had slowly turned in her chair just in time to see it happen. She lunged at him with the last of her strength, but it was no use. He used the butt of the weapon to knock her unconscious.

\---

When Kira awoke later, she felt gentle fingers running through her hair. Her head was pounding and she slowly opened her eyes to see Dax watching her, a worried look on her face.

“What happened?” she asked quietly, her voice rough. She tried to sit up.

“No, stay down. He hit you pretty hard,” Dax said.

Kira fell back and realized her head was resting in Jadzia’s lap. “Are we still on the planet?”

“No, we’ve been gone for about two hours now.”

The Major sighed and grimaced at the pain she was in. “Just where in the hell is he taking us?”

“You are awake,” came the deep voice.

Kira and Dax watched as the Orion made his way over and knelt down beside them. Dax held the Major as protectively as she could, her face hard as she stared at the man. His green skin was glistening with a thin layer of sweat.

He reached out and gently touched Kira’s face. “I do not wish to hurt you,” he said, his gaze locked on her.

“Could’ve fooled me,” Dax said flippantly. She looked down at Kira who was still staring at him, too, weak to look away.

“If I expect to be paid handsomely, the merchandise must not be damaged,” he said before standing again.

“Merchandise?” Dax questioned.

The Orion smiled. “No one has ever captured a Starfleet officer before, let alone a Trill female. You are worth at least a million bars of latinum. Two million if you are joined with a symbiont.” His gaze fell to Kira once more. “And you…I have never seen your kind before. You have fire inside of you. There are many who would pay greatly for the chance to tame you.” He knelt down again as he continued studying her intently. “But perhaps I should keep you for myself,” he said.

Kira closed her eyes tightly to avoid his gaze, but it didn’t stop the feeling that was spreading throughout her body. Her pain had dissipated and her breathing became shallow.

“Get away from us,” Dax said angrily, although her body was affected by his presence as well. She refused to give in.

The Orion smirked before moving back to the helm.

“If you’re so worried about your merchandise then you can at least let me treat her,” Dax said. “I’m sure no one will want a slave with a limp.”

The Orion stared at her a moment before moving to get the med kit. He easily lifted the beam she had been trying to move earlier and retrieved it.

Carefully resting the Major on the floor, Dax began preparing a hypo spray while the Orion returned to the pilot’s chair. She remembered arguing with Dr. Bashir once about the overuse of hypo sprays and he admitted that there was a certain amount of danger that came along with them, but he assured her that the proper dosage in the hands of a trained medical professional was perfectly safe.

Dax looked at the different vials of fluid and chose the strongest one before setting the hypo spray to its maximum dosage level. She looked at Kira, who had been watching her through heavy eyelids. The Major’s eyes shifted to the Orion before going back to Dax. She gave her a small nod and Dax sprang into action, jamming the hypo spray into the Orion’s neck. He immediately lashed out, the back of his fist smashing against her face. She fell to the ground as he staggered from his seat. His eyes were wild as he stared down at her and this time she held his gaze, watching as he sank to the floor unconscious.


	2. Friends

Kira opened her eyes and immediately recognized the infirmary. She slowly turned onto her side on the uncomfortable bed and was greeted by the smiling face of Dr. Bashir.

“Good, you’re awake,” he said as he scanned her with his tri-corder. 

“How did I get here and where is Dax?” she asked, her voice thick.

“Easy. Dax is fine. She only just left actually. I had to order her to go and get some rest. She wouldn’t leave your side. I’ve repaired the damage to your knee, but it may be stiff for a few days while it heals fully. You’ve also got a concussion. From what Dax told us, the Orion really got you good.”

Kira continued to listen as the doctor told her how Dax had gotten them back to the station nearly twenty-four hours ago and how the Orion was in a holding cell under Odo’s watchful eye. She sighed, just thankful it was all over and they were both alive.

After some protest from Dr. Bashir, Kira left the infirmary on her own with the promise of returning the next day. She entered her quarters a short while later, glad she hadn’t run into anyone on the promenade and immediately went to rest on the sofa. She would see everyone soon, but for now, she just wanted the comfort of her own quarters and a bath.

She rested a few more minutes before standing slowly and making her way to the bathroom. She grimaced at the reflection that stared back at her from the mirror. Her uniform was filthy and tattered and her hair in desperate need of washing. She stripped off her clothes immediately and stepped into the shower.

\---

A short while later, Kira knelt at her shrine, praying and thanking the Prophets for her and Jadzia’s safe return.

The door chimed and she dropped her hands to her side before standing.

“Enter,” she said with a sigh, not really up for any company. She was surprised when Dax stepped inside a stern look on her face.

“Dax, what’s wrong?” Kira asked, moving to stand in front of her.

“Why aren’t you still in the infirmary? I went to check on you and Julian said you went to your quarters. You do realize you have a concussion don’t you?” she reprimanded.

“Yes, and I’m also a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions,” Kira responded, slightly humored and slightly annoyed at Dax’s behavior. She didn’t think she had ever seen the Trill so worried.

Dax stared at Kira for a moment before releasing a sigh. “I’m sorry,” she said as she turned away and wandered over to the shrine, her hands clasped behind her back. “It’s just that when we were on our way back to the station, you lost consciousness for a very long time and you wouldn’t wake up. I was worried,” she said softly.

Kira felt a little guilty. “No, I’m sorry. It probably was stupid of me to leave. I just wanted some time alone,” she explained. “If I had to go one more day without washing, I would have screamed,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. She was glad when Jadzia turned to her with a familiar smirk.

“I know what you mean,” Dax said. She only just noticed that Kira was dressed in her bed clothes, a long sleeved, pink tunic that exposed one shoulder and matching bottoms that stopped just above the knee. Her hair was slicked back, still wet from her shower. Jadzia reached up to brush a piece of hair away that had fallen out of place. “Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked softly.

“I’m sure,” Kira returned just as softly. Dax’s cool fingers were refreshing against her warm skin.

“Then I’ll let you rest. Goodnight.”

Kira continued to stare at the door for a few minutes after Dax left.

\---

“I managed to get some scans from the Orion and let me tell you, he is potent,” Julian said from where he sat across from Jadzia the next day at Quark’s. She sipped on a hot raktajino while he ate his lunch. “His body emits pheromones that are the equivalent to that of ten healthy, human males and his testosterone levels were off the charts. I don’t know how you and Kira were able to resist him, quite frankly,” the doctor said as he continued eating. 

Dax and Kira had been debriefed that morning by Commander Sisko. She took the Major’s lead when it came to leaving out some of the more intimate details.

“Well, we were affected by him. We just…sort of used each other to help ease the feeling,” Dax explained with a small shrug.

Julian stopped eating, fork still poised halfway to his mouth, and stared at her. “You mean to tell me you and Kira…”

Dax smiled. “Relax, Julian. We only kissed.” He continued to stare and she could only imagine what was playing out in his mind.

The doctor pushed his plate aside and focused all of his attention on Dax. “What was it like? Major Kira is such an intense woman. I bet it was fierce and aggressive, wasn’t it?” he asked, smiling a little as he imagined it.

Normally, Dax had no qualms about sharing personal details of her life with her friends. At times, it seemed like all Curzon ever did was boast about his exploits. Whenever she found herself oversharing, she only felt any regret from Lela or Tobin and, ironically, even herself sometimes, but it was usually shoved to the back of her mind by the memories of Dax’s more domineering past hosts.

But something felt different this time as she stared at Julian, who was eagerly awaiting an answer from her, and she wished she hadn’t mentioned any of it to him. His description of the Major was very accurate. She was an intense person and when Dax first met her, she thought all Kira was capable of was anger, but she soon got to know her and what she’d been through and she understood.

Julian would be surprised to know that as angry and harsh as Kira could be, kissing her was the complete opposite and it was one of the most sensual things Jadzia had ever experienced.

“Well?” Julian said.

Dax took a sip of her coffee before answering. “It was…nice.”

“Nice!? That’s it?”

Dax smirked over the rim of her cup, but said nothing else.

\---

Kira grew restless as the days passed. She was wasn’t allowed back on duty for another three days thanks to the good doctor and she was sure to let him know that she didn’t appreciate it.

One night, she couldn’t sleep, so she decided to take a late night walk on the Promenade. As she neared Quark’s, she could hear loud complaints and the unmistakable sound of the Tongo Wheel. She stopped in the doorway and saw Quark and his staff sitting around the game table, concentrating as they read their cards and tossed latinum into the bowl.

“Confront!”

Kira adjusted her view and saw that Jadzia was sitting at the table, too. She watched for a few moments as Dax laid her cards down and smiled as the other players grumbled. She considered going in to see if Quark would fix a drink for her, but decided not to interrupt.

“Boys, when will we ever learn?” Quark said to his staff as he watched Jadzia pile the gold bars in front of her.

Dax only smiled as she continued to collect her winnings. Just as she was about to sit back down, she caught movement out on the deserted promenade and saw that it was Kira.

“Alright Lieutenant, place your wager,” Quark said, determined to win this time.

“Sorry, boys. I think I’m going to call it a night,” she said with a smirk and was met with protests.

“But that’s not fair! We deserve a chance to win our money back,” Quark argued.

“Sometimes you just have to know when to quit,” Dax said as she stood up. She quickly put her winnings into a small bag and left.

“Kira!”

Kira turned around to see Dax hurrying to catch up with her. Her heart sped up a little at the sight of her, but she ignored it. Dax was dressed in a, deep purple tunic that was tailored in a way to show off the spots that ran across her shoulders and matching pants. Kira always thought she looked beautiful in that color. “I thought you were at Quark’s,” she said.

“I was, but sometimes Tongo gets a little old when there’s no real competition,” she said, smiling as she held up her small fortune. “What are you doing on the promenade at this hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Kira said as they continued walking slowly. “The truth is I’m just restless and ready to get back to work. I feel perfectly fine, but Julian is insisting I take a few more days to recover.”

Jadzia could hear the frustration in her voice, but was glad about Julian’s decision. She chose to keep that to herself though. “He’s making me take a couple of days off, too. Why don’t we go back to my quarters for some tea and we can talk?” she suggested. “Maybe it’ll help you relax.”

Kira agreed and they made their way to Dax’s.

\---

The Major looked around Dax’s space as she sipped her Jarkonian tea and waited for the Trill to join her. She had been in the woman’s quarter’s plenty of times over the past few years, but for some reason the experience seemed brand new. She noticed the detail in the paintings that hung on the wall, the vase of fresh, purple Trillian roses she kept on a small table by the door.

And then there was Jadzia herself. Kira watched as she finally joined her on the sofa with a warm beverage of her own, the soft scent of the perfume she always wore filling her nose pleasantly. She sat close, but not uncomfortably so.

“I guess I’d better start figuring out what to do with my latinum soon. I’m starting to run out of space to store it,” she joked. “Have you heard anything else from Benjamin or Odo about the prison planet?”

“No, but Odo promised to keep me informed.”

Jadzia nodded as she studied her friend. Her heart beat a little faster before she spoke up again. “You know…we haven’t really talked about what happened.”

Kira stared at Dax, not sure how to respond. “What is there to say?” she asked softly. “We did what we had to do in a bad situation.”

Jadzia sat her drink down on the narrow table in front of the couch. Ever since she had joined with the symbiont, Dax, she had never wanted for the courage to express herself and she decided it would be no different with Kira.

“Then how come…” she took Kira’s cup and sat it on the table next to hers before moving closer and holding her hand, “…we haven’t been anywhere near the Orion for days and I still feel attracted to you?” she asked softly. She gently ran the back of her hand along Kira’s face before leaning in slowly to kiss her.

Kira closed her eyes as Jadzia’s lips touched hers. They were soft and warm just like she remembered and she allowed herself to become lost in the sensation of it.

Jadzia felt elated as Nerys returned the kiss. She even felt a little of the aggressiveness that Julian had imagined and she liked it. The kisses grew deeper and longer and Jadzia ran her hand along the length of Kira’s firm thigh.

Kira didn’t know when it happened, but her head was resting against the arm of the sofa and Jadzia’s body was pressed firmly against hers as they continued to kiss.

Jadzia was in heaven as everything Kira Nerys surrounded her, the sweetness of her mouth, her fresh scent, the feel of her warm, firm body. She felt as if she could stay this way for the rest of her life.

But fate had other plans. Her door chimed and the two immediately pulled away, lips parting with a smack. Jadzia rested her forehead against Nerys’s for a moment and kissed her one last time before standing and helping the Major up. She took a deep breath before speaking.

“Enter.”

The door slid open to reveal Quark holding a bottle of Jadzia’s favorite synthale.

“I just stopped by to see if I could convince…” He stopped when he noticed Kira. “Oh, hello, Major. I wasn’t aware you kept these kinds of hours.”

“Quark,” Kira acknowledged with a nod.

“Well, anyway, Dax,” he said as he held out the bottle with a pointy smile, “the night is still pretty young. Why don’t you come back down to the bar and join us?” he asked. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t at least try to get his money back from her.

“Actually, Quark, Kira and I…”

“I should probably be going anyway. I have a lot I need to do tomorrow,” Kira said as she began making her way toward the door.

Jadzia watched her go and wanted nothing more than to go after her. Instead, she turned back to Quark who was still waiting for an answer.

\---

As it turned out, Jadzia didn’t see Kira again until it was time for them to return to duty and they were so busy getting caught up on reports that there was no time to corner the Major and ask her where she had been for the last few days.

The Lieutenant became increasingly frustrated as the day progressed. Kira barely acknowledged her presence and she was forced to make due with gazes across the room from her station. In her experience, being intimate with someone didn’t usually have this effect.

The morning seemed to drag on and when lunch finally rolled around, Kira was nowhere to be found. Dax made her way into Benjamin’s office and took a seat.

Captain Sisko sat the PADD he was looking over down and stared at his friend who had yet to speak. She looked pensive. “Something troubling you, old man?”

Jadzia looked up to see him watching her thoughtfully. “Oh…no…I’m sorry Benjamin. I’m just having trouble understanding something.”

“And what might that be?”

“Why Major Kira is avoiding me,” she said.

“I thought you two had become close,” Sisko said.

Dax smirked at his choice of words. “We have. Closer than you might think.”

Benjamin raised an eyebrow at the new development. “Did you have a disagreement?”

Dax sighed. “No. I kissed her and she kissed me back.” If she wasn’t so preoccupied, she would have laughed at the confused look on Benjamin’s face.

“I get the feeling that I’m missing something here.”

Dax hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell Benjamin about what happened on the prison planet.

They sat quietly for a moment, pondering the situation.

“And you’re sure this isn’t just some residual effect from the Orion?” he questioned as he tossed his baseball from one hand to the other.

“I don’t think so,” Jadzia said. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to check with Julian though.”

“You’ve never had these feelings for Major Kira before,” Sisko commented, trying to help her look at the situation from every angle.

“No, but I’ve always thought she was beautiful and even a little fascinating. I guess sometimes it just takes a certain situation to see what’s right in front of you,” she shrugged.

Benjamin was hesitant to say it, but he and Dax had always been honest with each other. “Are you sure this isn’t just Curzon being…aggressive in what he wants? We both know he always came on strong.”

Dax was slightly offended that her genuine feelings were being questioned, but as she thought about it, she realized it was a valid point. “I can assure you that my feelings are real, but…I guess I was a little aggressive,” she said, remembering the kiss they’d shared in her quarters a few days ago. It was all she could think about.

“Major Kira has always struck me as the type who doesn’t enter into relationships lightly. She was very much in love with Vedek Bareil. Perhaps she hasn’t gotten over him yet,” the Captain said, referring to the Bajoran spiritual leader’s death several months ago.

Dax suddenly felt foolish. She had been so focused on the way she was feeling that she hadn’t thought about that.

“Listen, all I’m suggesting is to make sure and show Major Kira a lot more Jadzia…and a lot less Curzon,” he shrugged with a smile.

\---

The next day, the Lieutenant made her way through the promenade to see Dr. Bashir. She had given what Benjamin said a lot of thought and she decided that first and foremost, she needed to make sure that her feelings for Kira weren’t just some lingering effect of the Orion’s pheromones.

She also thought about what Benjamin said about allowing the Major to experience more of Jadzia. It was a scary thought. Jadzia never had much self-confidence, but when she was joined with Dax all of her old feelings of insecurity had practically vanished. She also knew that part of the experience of being a joined Trill was not to allow the previous hosts to overshadow the current host. She supposed she was still learning that Jadzia had just as much to offer as any of the others.

Julian was studying one of the large screens on the wall when she entered the infirmary. When he noticed another presence, he turned around to greet her with a smile.

“Good afternoon, Dax. What can I do for you?”

“Julian, is there anyway the Orion’s pheromones could still be effecting me or Major Kira?” she asked directly.

The doctor folded his arms across his chest as he answered. “It wouldn’t really make any sense. Although his pheromones are quite potent, neither of you have been in contact with him for nearly a week. That’s more than enough time for the effects to have completely disappeared.”

Dax was relieved to know that what she was feeling was real. She supposed it would have been easier if it was just the pheromones though, considering Major Kira’s reaction to the entire situation. “You seemed to have given it a lot of thought,” she said, noticing how certain Julian seemed.

“Actually, Major Kira came in yesterday and asked the exact same question,” he informed her. “Wait, have you and the Major…”

Dax looked at him reproachfully and chose not to answer. She supposed it was her own fault for putting the idea in his head in the first place. “Thank you for your time, Doctor,” she said with a small smile.

It grew larger as she left the infirmary. She was glad to know that Kira was just as affected by what had transpired between them. Why else would she have had the same question for Julian? Now, if she could only get the Major to talk to her.

\---

“Why have you been avoiding me?”

Kira jumped and turned around to see a smirking Jadzia standing close to her. She was in cargo bay six overseeing a very important shipment of equipment to Bajor.

“I haven’t. There’s just a lot of work around here that needs to be done,” she said as she turned back to the containers and typed a few things into her PADD.

“Kira, we can’t keep pretending this didn’t happen,” Dax said as she followed her around the cargo bay.

The Major sighed and turned to face Jadzia, who was looking at her expectantly. “Dax, I won’t deny that I’m attracted to you.” How could she? Her body had responded greatly to Jadzia’s touch and it was all she had thought about for days. “But what if that’s all it is? Just an attraction.”

Jadzia stepped a little closer, keeping her voice low. “Nerys, most relationships start with physical attraction. No one would ever know if it could be something more if they didn’t explore it,” she said softly as she looked at the Major fondly.

“But here’s what I do know…you’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had. And it isn’t a friendship borne out of fear or some mutual hatred for the Cardassians or because we had to plan attacks together. It’s an honest to goodness friendship with someone I care about and respect and I don’t want to lose that,” Kira said passionately, her eyes glistening. “It’s one of the few, real things I’ve had since the occupation ended and I don’t want it to change.”

Dax could feel her heart breaking a little as she watched Kira. She had hunted her down, determined to make her see that they needed to explore whatever it was between them, but how could she argue against that?

The Lieutenant took a deep breath before speaking. “Whatever else happens…I’ll always be your friend, Nerys.”

Kira gave a watery smile and squeezed Dax’s hand before getting back to work.


	3. Love

“Maybe she doesn’t trust you,” Julian said as he and Jadzia sat in Quark’s having a drink later that evening.

Jadzia looked at him doubtfully. “She just professed her undying friendship for me. I don’t think trust is the problem,” she said a bit sarcastically, still feeling the sting of having been rejected.

“Well, you have been known to do your fair share of dating around the station. What if she thinks she would just be another passing fancy for you?” he questioned.

“Oh, so I’m defective, is that it? Incapable of having a real relationship with someone?” She took a long drink and sat her glass down a little more forcefully than necessary. First, it was Benjamin criticizing her for being too much like Curzon and now Julian had decided to reinforce the point.

“Of, course not!” Julian said, quick to try and ease her anger. He sighed. “Listen, Dax, all I’m saying is that Major Kira is a very serious woman…”

“The complete opposite of me, I’m sure,” Jadzia interrupted, rolling her eyes.

Julian chose not to confirm or deny the statement and continued. “And having been born into a world where there wasn’t much time for fun or the dalliances you and I may have experienced in our youth, she’s just more…careful about these sorts of things.”

Dax stared into her drink. “Jadzia didn’t have dalliances. She was too shy and insecure…and most of her time was spent studying anyway.” And the way Curzon treated her when she was an initiate didn’t do anything to help her grow out of it. It was only when she finally joined with the symbiont did things change.

Julian gave a small understanding smile. He and Dax had formed a pretty great friendship of their own and he knew that despite the dominance of the past hosts, it was Jadzia who was hurting right now.

\---

The station was full of activity during the next several weeks. Many changes were taking place on Bajor and naturally there had been visits to Deep Space Nine by members of the preliminary government and other important factions. The officers of DS9 were being pulled in every direction imaginable, worrying about the Dominion, Klingons, Cardassians, and even the Federation.

Odo had discovered that the Orion’s name was Myo Tala and he was wanted in two different quadrants for humanoid trafficking. After a bit more digging into the prison planet, he discovered that it had been abandoned nearly fifteen years ago and the humanoids running the mining operation had been doing so illegally. Meanwhile, there had been arrangements made for the Orion to stand trial on Dena Two, where his most heinous crimes had taken place. The abandoned prison planet was out of any jurisdiction that Odo had and he had contacted the nearest officials to inform them of the situation.

First shift had ended nearly half an hour ago and Kira sat in her quarter’s looking over a report. After a few more minutes, she made her way into her bedroom to change into something more comfortable.

As she stripped off her uniform, she thought about Dax and wondered how she was handling the situation with Lenara Kahn whose past host, Nilani, used to be married to one of Dax’s previous hosts, Torias. She felt for them, not being able to be together for risk of being shunned from Trill society.

She and Dax’s relationship had slowly been returning to normal and she was glad. She meant what she said about Jadzia being one of the best friends she had and she valued that greatly. A part of her had also wondered if she was just being a coward for not exploring their attraction. But then she thought about Dax and Lenara again. It was obvious that she still loved Lenara. And where would that have left her? Their relationship would have been over before it even started.

As she finished getting dressed, she made her way into the living room to resume her reading, but stopped when the door chimed.

“Enter,” she said. The door slid open to reveal a sad looking Jadzia. “What happened?” Kira asked, immediately going to her.

Dax stepped into the room and the door slid closed behind her. “Lenara left.”

Kira watched as tears fell down Jadzia’s face and she immediately pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, fighting to keep her own tears in check.

Dax held on to Kira tightly.

\---

A couple of hours later, Kira sat on the couch with an arm around Jadzia who was curled against her side. She listened patiently as Jadzia told her stories of Torias and Nilani and it was very apparent just how much in love they were. It was no wonder Dax had struggled with Lenara’s presence. Dax had also told her about the kiss she had shared with Lenara and she was surprised at the jealousy that flared within her, but she quickly squashed it down.

Kira held Jadzia closely, wishing she could do more to ease her pain. The Trill was usually so in control and it was rare to see her so upset. She always saw them as opposites and it was probably the reason they got along so well in the first place. Dax was always calm and collected, having over three hundred years of collective experiences to fall back on and take a more diplomatic approach while Nerys ranted and raved over the latest political upheaval.

“Would you like some more tea?” she asked as Dax became quiet.

Dax shook her head. “I’m sorry, Nerys. You must be tired and I’ve barged in on you with all my problems,” she said, feeling a little embarrassed as she sat up and wiped at her face.

“Hey, don’t apologize. I’m your friend. It’s what I’m here for,” Kira said with a reassuring smile. She placed her hand on Jadzia’s cheek and used her thumb to wipe away the last of the tears.

The irony of the situation was not lost on Jadzia. Here she was wallowing in misery and pouring her heart out over one lost love to someone she had confessed to having feelings for barely even a month ago. She didn’t understand how she could be feeling so awful about Lenara, but find so much comfort in Nerys’s touch. Maybe it was the downside of hosting a symbiont. Most of the time she could handle all of the thoughts and feelings she experienced, but occasionally, things got a little hectic.

Dax suddenly felt the need to be alone and slowly stood from the couch. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I’d better go back to my quarters. I feel like I could sleep for days.”

Kira nodded as she followed her to the door. “I know how you feel. It’s not exactly the same, but when Bareil died…for a while I didn’t think I’d ever be able to move past it. I missed him so much and I just felt kind of empty,” she said.

Jadzia could see the sadness in her eyes as she spoke about him.

“Anyway, there were just some days when the emotion was too much and all I wanted to do was sleep,” she explained with a small shrug.

Jadzia moved closer and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, Nerys.”

Kira felt warm lips press against her cheek and she closed her eyes.

\---

“Ensign Ray asked you out on a date?” Kira asked, shocked as they headed toward the crew quarters after a session in the holosuite. She wasn’t sure why she let Jadzia talk her into such silly adventures. “Isn’t he a little young for you?”

Dax smirked, wondering if she detected a little bit of jealousy in Nerys’ voice. “He’s not that young. He joined Starfleet at a later age than most.”

A few months had passed since Lenara Kahn had visited the station and Dax, being the resilient person that she was, had been able to move on a little easier than expected. Between Benjamin and Kira she had been able to talk about how she felt and it helped her to move beyond it. Before too long, she was back to her old self again.

In spite of everything, her feelings for Nerys had not dissapated, but if the Major wasn’t interested in a relationship with her, then she would enjoy her company in whatever way she could.

“Still, he doesn’t really seem like your type,” Kira said as they approached her quarters.

“Oh? And just what is my type?” Jadzia asked, an eyebrow raised as they stopped in front of the door.

Kira opened her mouth to speak before realizing that she didn’t know what to say.

Jadzia smiled. “Same time tomorrow,” she said, choosing to change the subject.

The Major groaned. “Again? How about a game of spring ball?”

“We’ve played spring ball every day for the last two weeks,” Jadzia protested, hands on her hips. “Besides, I don’t think my body can take anymore right now. My shoulder blade is still sore,” she said as she rotated it with a grimace. 

“Still?” Kira typed in the code to her quarters.

“Yeah. Maybe I should go see Julian again.” Dax said as she followed Kira inside.

Kira smirked. “Don’t bother. In the resistance we didn’t have any medical technology so we had to rely on nature. I still keep a salve that should have you feeling like new in no time. Have a seat and I’ll get it.”

Jadzia took a seat on the sofa and a few seconds later, Kira returned with the small bottle. “What is it made of?” she asked as she looked at the clear liquid.

“It’s a plant native to Bajor called alla,” she explained. “It was like gold to us during the occupation. It wasn’t easy to find, but still easier than acquiring hypo sprays or any other medical equipment.”

Jadzia always listened carefully whenever Nerys talked about the occupation. She hated what her friend and the Bajoran people had to endure at the hands of the Cardassians, but it also gave her more insight about the person she was today.

“Here,” Kira said as she grabbed the bottle from where Jadzia had sat it on the table. “Let me help you put some on your shoulder.”

“It’s alright. I can get Julian to do it,” Jadzia said.

“It’s really no trouble,” Kira smiled. “Besides, it’s the least I can do after making you play spring ball with me.”

Jadzia acquiesced and unzipped her uniform jacket, revealing a black tank top beneath.

Kira knelt on the couch beside Dax and adjusted her hair so it was lying over her uninjured shoulder. She pushed the strap of the tank down and poured a small amount of the salve into her hands before gently massaging it into Jadzia back and shoulder.

Jadzia closed her eyes at the feeling of Nerys’ hands against her skin. They were warm and sure in their movement and it was a feeling she could easily get used to.

Kira’s eyes trailed over the spots along Jadzia’s skin, shining from the salve. Dax moaned and Nerys felt herself reacting to the intimate sound.

“It feels better already,” Dax said softly. She didn’t think all the hypos in the world would have felt this good, but she was pretty sure it was Kira’s touch as much as it was the salve.

Kira was starting to rethink the whole thing as it became more and more sensual, but she didn’t stop. Jadzia seemed to bring sensuality to every situation, whether she was trying to or not. She wondered if maybe it was Emony’s influence or Jadzia herself.

Kira’s movements became slower as she continued the massage. Gently, her hands drifted across Jadzia’s neck and to her other shoulder, her fingertips sliding beneath the strap of her top.

Jadzia’s heart was beating quickly as she felt Nerys’ touch. She stood from the couch slowly and turned to face her, seeing the desire she felt reflected in Nerys’ beautiful brown eyes.

Dax touched her face gently, pleased when Kira didn’t pull away. Her eyes fell to full red lips that were slightly parted and as she began to lean in closer, Chief O’Brien’s voice sounded over her com badge.

“O’Brien to Dax.”

Kira closed her eyes as the Chief’s voice permeated the moment. She felt Dax’s hand slide away from her face and she was disappointed and relieved at the same time. She opened her eyes to see Jadzia fixing the strap of her shirt and reaching for her jacket that had fallen to the floor.

“Dax here,” the Trill responded. She tugged her uniform jacket on quickly as she listened to the Chief request her presence in Ops to discuss an anomaly that the sensors were picking up near the worm hole. “On my way, Chief,” she answered.

Kira had moved across the room and stood in front of her shrine. “Guess you shouldn’t keep the Chief waiting,” she said.

“I guess not,” Dax said softly, moving closer. “Thanks for the massage.”

Kira nodded and became even more uncomfortable when Dax continued to stare at her. She leaned in so quickly that Kira barely had time to react. She closed her eyes as a soft kiss was pressed to the corner of her mouth and when she opened them Jadzia was gone and the door to her quarter’s was sliding closed.

\---

The next day Lieutenant Dax smiled happily as she passed a few people on the Promenade on her way to Quark’s for breakfast. She thought about stopping by Kira’s quarters to see if she’d like to join her, but she decided to give her some space. They would see each other soon enough in Ops and they also had plans for the holosuite later.

Jadzia knew Kira still had doubts about changing their relationship, but she hoped last night was a step forward. As she sat down with a cup of raktajino and a large berry muffin, she remembered the feel of Kira’s hands on her skin.

“Strip of latinum for your thoughts.”

She looked up, slightly annoyed at her fantasies having been interrupted, and into Quark’s eyes.

“Good morning, Quark,” she said.

“Must have been some thought you were lost in. I’ve been standing here for nearly a minute.”

Dax only smirked and took a bite of her muffin. “Is there something I can do for you?” she asked when he continued to stare.

“Well, now that you mention it,” he took a seat across from her, “I was hoping me and the boys could interest you in a game of Tongo tonight. It’s been months since you last played.”

“I’m not sure I’ll have time,” Jadzia said a bit regretfully. She did miss it, but… “Between work and…”

Quark rolled his eyes. “And spending time with Major Kira and trying to somehow get her to see that holosuites are fun…yeah, yeah.”

“I don’t see why you’re complaining. We pay for our time,” Dax said as she continued with her breakfast. “Speaking of which, do you have my new program? Kira and I will be here tonight.” She had been anxious to show it to Kira and she was sure it would finally convince her that holosuites weren’t so bad.

“It’s ready,” Quark said as he continued to watch her. “I keep waiting for the day when you ask me to come up with a program that’s a little more…intimate,” he smiled.

Jadzia smirked before standing up. “In your dreams,” she whispered into his ear.

\---

Kira had tried to think of any excuse she could to cancel her holosuite date with Dax. She knew she would want to talk about what happened last night, but she still wasn’t sure if she was ready and she berated herself for allowing things to get out of hand. Ultimately, she decided that she couldn’t keep running away whenever she got uncomfortable. She and Dax both knew they shared a mutual attraction and there was no sense in pretending it didn’t exist.

Dax told her to dress comfortably and she had changed into a pair of brown tights with a matching gold tunic. As she entered holosuite three, she was immediately in awe at the scene before her. She was looking at one of Bajor’s most beautiful beaches. The white sand contrasted beautifully against the clear blue-green of the ocean and the evening sun shined brightly in the distance.

As she stepped inside, the holosuite doors closed behind her and she forgot that she was on a space station. Continuing down the beach, she saw Jadzia sitting on a blanket with a basket of food beside her. 

Dax smiled when she saw Kira walking toward her.

“Well, what do you think?” she asked as she stood to greet her.

“It’s beautiful,” Kira said with a bright smile as she stared at Jadzia.

\---

Kira took a bite of the aged Bajoran cheese Jadzia had brought and leaned back on one hand as she watched the waves and the sky. “You know, I remember my father telling me about this beach once, but I never actually got to see it until after the occupation when I joined the militia.”

Jadzia listened closely while she spoke.

“I know sometimes it seems like all we did was set bombs and run and hide in caves, but I actually did quite a bit of travelling while I was in the resistance. There was just never any time to appreciate it,” Kira said.

“Well,” Jadzia said as she sat her glass of wine down. “One day soon, you’ll have to take me to some of the most beautiful places on Bajor.”

Kira smiled brightly. “Deal.”

Dax watched as she lay down on the blanket and closed her eyes. She wanted to talk about what happened last night, but she didn’t want to ruin the mood. A part of her was frustrated that Nerys would continue to deny how she felt, but she knew she couldn’t force the issue. 

Kira rolled onto her side to face Jadzia who was looking out into the ocean, the glow of the sun on her skin and the wind blowing her hair. She was beautiful and she was a wonderful friend. No one else had ever done anything like this for her before.

“Thank you for this,” she said. “We’ve been here for nearly two hours and I haven’t once thought about the fact that it’s just an illusion.”

Jadzia smiled and lay down with her head propped up in her hand, facing Nerys. “You’re welcome.”

“But I guess we should be getting back soon. I have a meeting bright and early with the Captain and some Akritirian delegates about setting up a colony on one of Bajor’s moons. They’ll have to make a pretty strong case if they want the Provisional Government to accept their proposal.” The Akritirian home world was run by a dictatorship, but there were many who wanted to deflect. Kira thought there were a lot of similarities between the plights of the Akritirians and the Bajorans, but the major difference was that the Akritirians had to suffer at the hands of their own people.

“Ensign Ray mentioned something about the Akritirians during lunch today,” Jadzia said.

Kira was surprised. “You had lunch with Ensign Ray?” she asked.

Jadzia smirked at the tone in Kira’s voice. “We ran into each other at Quark’s. He asked me out again.”

Kira sat up and finished the last of her wine. “I don’t think you should go out with him. Do you know how complicated it could get…a Lieutenant dating an Ensign?”

Jadzia sat up, too, taken aback by Kira’s reasoning. “You mean kind of like a Major dating a Lieutenant?” she challenged. The tone of the wonderful evening they had was quickly changing, but Jadzia was tired of holding back how she really felt.

“That’s not what I meant,” Kira said looking at her. “It’s just that…”

“That you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either?”

Kira stared at Dax, her expression closed off. “You do whatever you want,” she said quietly before standing up and walking away.

Jadzia watched her go and their paradise suddenly came to a halting stop as the doors to the holosuite opened up and Kira disappeared back into reality.

\---

The next day, Kira sat in Odo’s office and listened as he went over the morning security report, but her mind was elsewhere.

“There’s been a string of petty thefts lately, but I have a pretty good idea of who it might be,” Odo said as he swiveled slightly in his chair. “Apparently, young Jana’s pet Ferengi rat has been missing for quite some time, but they’ve only just now reported it.” He looked up from his PADD to see that Kira hadn’t heard a word he said and her raktajino had gone untouched. “Am I boring you, Major?”

Kira looked up at Odo. “What? I’m sorry. My mind is somewhere else right now.”

“Yes, I can see that,” the constable said. “Anything you’d like to discuss?”

The Major slouched in her chair and sighed. “I think…that I have feelings for someone…a friend…a really good friend…”

Odo sat his PADD down and listened carefully. “And does this friend reciprocate?”

“Yes, but I’m afraid that if our relationship changes, we won’t be as good friends…she means a lot to me,” Kira said softly.

Odo’s face fell and he was glad Kira wasn’t looking at him. He quickly schooled his features and stood from his chair.

“But our friendship is suffering anyway because of this,” Kira continued, thinking about their argument last night. “A part of me thinks I’m just being a coward.”

“I think you should tell her,” Odo said as he turned around to face her once again. “One of the things I have learned being around humans is that they often have regrets. If you don’t tell her how you feel…you’ll regret it.”

Kira knew Odo was right. She already had regrets about the way she had handled the whole thing. She’d been so focused on not losing the friendship that she and Dax had that she never thought about the fact that it could be a strong foundation for something more. It was funny really. Her entire life had been about taking chances and now here she was, afraid of her own feelings.

“Odo, have I ever told you how much you mean to me?” Kira said as she stood and went to him.

“Maybe once or twice,” he said. She smiled brightly and hugged him quickly.

Odo watched as she left, an overwhelming feeling of sadness settling inside of him.

\---

Kira walked through the Promenade more confident than she had felt in months. She had every intention of finding Jadzia, but as her eyes landed on Captain Sisko making his way toward her with the Akritirian delegates, she knew it would have to wait.

As she passed Quark’s, she glanced inside and stopped when she saw Jadzia sitting with Ensign Ray. She seemed to be laughing at something he said and she reached across the table to touch his hand.

“Major Kira,” came the Captain’s jovial voice as he approached her and introduced the delegates. With one last glance at Jadzia, she followed the group to one of the conference rooms.

\---

It had been another two days and Jadzia hadn’t seen or spoken to Kira, but it wasn’t really by choice. The meetings with the Akritirian delegates had gone well according to Benjamin and Major Kira had volunteered to escort them to Bajor to continue the talks. Jadzia was immediately upset at hearing it, figuring Kira would do whatever she could to put some distance between them after what happened on the holosuite. If she had known things would be this hard, she would have never admitted her feelings for Kira.

After a late night game of Tongo with Quark, she slowly made her way back to her quarters with a small sack of latinum dangling from her hand. It was about time she got back to her old self.

As she rounded the corridor, she almost ran directly into Kira, who was carrying a small duffel bag.

“Major, I didn’t realize you had returned to the station,” Dax said as she reached out to steady her.

“I got in pretty late,” Kira said as she readjusted her bag.

Dax quickly removed her hands from Kira’s waist, realizing she had yet to let her go. “I’m sure you must be tired. I’ll let you get to your quarters,” she said.

Kira watched her go, but she didn’t let her get far. “Jadzia…” she called softly.

Dax turned around at the sound of her name and watched as Kira let her bag drop to the floor before coming to stand directly in front of her.

Kira’s heart pounded as she looked at Jadzia. She was tired of denying how she felt. There had come a point, after joining the resistance, where she wasn’t afraid of anything and she decided that this would be no different.

She gently ran her hands down Jadzia’s arms before moving even closer.

Jadzia closed her eyes as Nerys leaned in and kissed her and she wasted no time returning the affection as her hands moved to Nerys’ hips. Kissing her had been all Dax thought about for months and it was finally happening.

Kira deepened the kiss, her tongue pushing past Jadzia’s lips. “I’m sorry…” she said softly.

Disappointment overwhelmed Jadzia and she pulled away. It was the situation with Lenara all over again except this time it was Kira breaking her heart.

“I’ve been so scared, but…I don’t want to be afraid anymore,” Kira continued, unaware of Jadzia’s internal fear.

Dax breathed a deep sigh of relief as she realized Kira wasn’t rejecting her this time.

Anything else Kira was going to say was cut off by Jadzia’s lips pressing firmly against hers. She ran her fingers through Kira’s soft hair as they continued to embrace.

Kira pulled away once again, realizing that the corridor wasn’t really the best place for privacy. “Come to my quarters,” she said softly.

Dax quickly picked up her latinum that had fallen to the floor and allowed herself to be led by the hand to Nerys’ quarters.

\---

“What made you change your mind?” Dax asked between kisses as they lay closely together on Kira’s bed, fully clothed.

Kira ran her hand along Dax’s face. “I spoke so much about not wanting to lose you as a friend, and while I still mean every word I said, I realized I was just using it as an excuse and our friendship was suffering because of it anyway,” she explained. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Dax could see the sincerity in Kira’s eyes and she kissed her again softly. “I know it might be hard to believe, but these feelings scare me, too.”

Kira smiled. “It’s not hard to believe,” she said. “You’re just brave enough to act on the way you feel. It’s one of the things I admire about you. For so long, I had to be cold and unfeeling to do the things I did when we were fighting the Cardassians. I’m afraid that it’s become such a part of me that it affects my personal relationships, too.”

Jadzia brushed her nose against Kira’s, happy at being able to freely show her affection. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re one of the most passionate people I’ve ever met and that’s something I admire about you,” she said softly.

It felt wonderful to be in Jadzia’s arms and Kira thought herself a fool for denying it for so long. “You were all I could think about the entire time I was away,” she said, her face pressed against Jadzia’s neck. “The Akritirians probably thought I was the worst host ever.”

Dax heard the tiredness in Kira’s voice and pulled away slightly. “I should let you get some rest,” she said, kissing her forehead. “You must be tired from your trip.”

“I am,” Kira said, pulling her back down, her eyelids heavy, “But I don’t want you to leave.”

“Okay,” Jadzia agreed easily as she cuddled next to Kira and held her close. “I’ll stay.”

\---

Quark stood behind the bar polishing a glass mindlessly.

“Look at them, Morn.”

The Lurian half-heartedly turned away from his drink to glance at Major Kira and Luetenant Dax sitting at a table. The two women sat closely, talking and holding hands.

“The two most beautiful, powerful women on this station, it figures they’d choose each other,” Quark huffed. He watched as the two women leaned toward each other for a kiss and sighed. “She’ll probably never play Tongo with us again.”

The End.


End file.
